Freelance Operational Strategy and Delivery Lead Internal Medicine and Neuroscience (0.5 FTE) at TFS HealthScience

TFS HealthScience is a leading global mid-size Contract Research Organization (CRO) that partners with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies throughout their entire clinical development journey. Our expertise includes full service-capabilities, resourcing and Functional Service (FSP) solutions.

Join Our Team as a Freelance Operational Strategy and Delivery Lead Internal Medicine and Neuroscience (0.5 FTE) - home based in US, Germany or Poland.

About this role

As part of our CDS Internal Medicine and Neuroscience team you will working alongside passionate and innovative professionals to ensure our customers achieve their goals.

The Operational Strategy and Delivery Lead has a key role in securing new business awards and ensuring those projects are delivered to the highest level of client satisfaction for the assigned TFS CDS Business Unit. The Operational Strategy and Delivery Lead needs extensive knowledge and experience in how to design an operational solution to achieve study objectives and develop a level of credibility with clients to give them assurance that ideas and methodological approaches have a high chance of success as well as receive the required level of oversight to meet their objectives. The position works with service functions across the company to ensure that projects are successfully executed. The goal of the Operational Strategy and Delivery Lead is to achieve sustainable growth in the assigned Business Unit research, ensure a high level of customer satisfaction and provide support and guidance to drive operational excellence across the specific Business Unit portfolio of projects.

Key Responsibilities: 

Business Development and Customer Relations

• Support the Head of the assigned Business Unit (BU) in defining and implementing strategies that will offer competitive advantage and drive business growth over time

• Develop strong relations with clients’ key decision makers by leveraging knowledge and expertise to drive repeat business

• Partner with Business Development, Project Leaders and functional teams to develop client relations and ensure high customer satisfaction

• Support the Business and Contracts team in developing competitive flexible costing approaches for the BU projects

• Lead, review and approve proposals offering high quality content, value driven outcomes, efficient operations and competitive costing

• Participate and contribute to capability- and bid defense meetings with clients 

Studies Strategy and Delivery

• Participate in proposal and budget development for new opportunities

• Lead bid defense preparations in partnership with Business Development and Senior Operations staff

• Participate in and /or lead global process improvement initiatives

• Act as a key relationship manager for assigned customers

• Responsible for all the assigned BU projects across the portfolio and actively develop and be seen as the first point of escalation to resolve both project management and client issues

• Responsible to coordinate and lead creative project solutions, leveraging expertise, operational capabilities and technologies to ensure client needs are addressed

• Responsible to provide oversight, support and guidance to Project Managers across the portfolio and ensure efficient project execution

• Support development of new, competitive, operational methodology for the assigned BU research and provide training to operational leadership and business development

• Responsible to actively lead and implement efficiency- and optimization efforts with project management to maximize margins

• Responsible for maintaining profitability across the portfolio and to provide reliable assumptions of business growth across client portfolio

• Manage the oversight of execution and conduct of clinical studies assigned to the project managers reporting into Director, Project Management

• Provide pro-active guidance and direction to assigned staff around project planning, project execution, project review, risk mitigation, problem solving and customer management to assist in service delivery and professional development

• Line management of assigned staff within Project Management

• Participate in Recruitment and induction of new staff with Human Resources

• Perform annual performance reviews for assigned staff

• Provide technical expertise and Project Management support to project managers

• Ensure staff are appropriately qualified and trained by providing input to training plans, coaching and mentoring of assigned staff and assisting in the delivery of training

• Ensure project plans and timelines are created and maintained

• Ensure project budgets are managed; profitability is maintained and invoicing is performed on time and in accordance with the scope of work

• Ensure projects are appropriately resourced through all phases of a project

• Participate actively in Project Review Meetings and the project review process

• Collect and analyze delivery and performance metrics 

• Identify and escalate issues as appropriate within the organization

• Close collaboration with Project Delivery Team such as Site Management, Data Management, Statistics, Regulatory and Safety

• Being active and contributing to the assessment, introduction and use of new technologies to drive innovative approaches to project conduct 

Brand identity and Marketing

• Represent the company as an active expert in the field of the assigned BU research and taking part of developing new ideas and approaches

• Represent TFS BU as an expert in conferences, societies, networks and events

• Provide support to Marketing in building the TFS brand awareness through multiple channels

Qualifications: 

• University/college degree, master’s degree in science or related field

• At least 10 years’ experience in Internal Medicine and Neuroscience research and/or business development within a CRO or Pharmaceutical company

• At least 3 years in a senior level contributing to strategy or business growth

• Post-Marketing/Late Phase Project Management or Business Development background and a profound expertise of the Business Unit services.

• Sound knowledge of either US or European market or ideally both. Proven track-record in maintaining, developing and strengthening customer relations

• Ability to manage multiple project portfolios in an entrepreneurial environment

• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work independently and comfortable with a “blank sheet of paper” assignments

• Very good and effective communicator and presenter

• Proven organizational, planning and multitasking skills, as well as a predisposition to customer value and results

• Ability to oversee and lead multi-functional international teams and to set an example of professionalism

• Experience in developing and actively managing project budgets

• Computer competency and proficiency with Microsoft Office 

What We Offer

We provide a competitive compensation package, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity for personal and professional growth in a rewarding environment. You’ll be joining a team that values collaboration, innovation, and making a difference in the lives of patients

A Bit More About Us

Our journey began over 29 years ago in Sweden, in the city of Lund. As a full-service, global Contract Research Organization (CRO), we build solution-driven teams working towards a healthier future. Bringing together over 800 professionals, TFS delivers tailored clinical research services in more than 40 countries with flexible clinical development and strategic resourcing solutions across key therapeutic areas including Dermatology, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Ophthalmology.

Our core values of Trust, Quality, Passion, Flexibility, and Sustainability are our guiding light serving as the framework for decision-making at all levels of the organization. They assist us in attracting and retaining valuable talent who share our sentiments, resulting in high employee engagement and satisfaction. By aligning on these fundamental values, we cultivate a unified force, geared towards innovation and excellence. This collective effort propels us towards our shared goal and fosters a culture of mutual respect and collaboration. 

Together we make a difference.